Why all the love for Girardi? He's been with the NYY for 6 years, and won the AL once, and that was the year the NYY doled out a gazillion for CC, Tex, and Burnett. I think he is okay, but there is nothing in his record that screams out for special recognition. And I think he is at least partially responsible for burning out Hughes and Joba.

Girardi did do a great job in Miami with a very low budget team, and this year's Yankee squad stayed alive a lot longer than they should have, given all their injuries. But if the Cubs want him, it will be because of the job he ddi in Miami helping younger players develop. (A big part of the reason Sveum was let go was because the younger players like Rizzon and Castro took steps backward this year.)

I think he could end up in Chicago. He's from Illinois, went to Northwestern, and played for the Cubs. I also don't see why the Red Sox care.

Why all the love for Girardi? He's been with the NYY for 6 years, and won the AL once, and that was the year the NYY doled out a gazillion for CC, Tex, and Burnett. I think he is okay, but there is nothing in his record that screams out for special recognition. And I think he is at least partially responsible for burning out Hughes and Joba.

What had Farrell done before being Boston manager? at least JG has a title...

(not that Im not totally loving JF as skipper - but sometimes things just fit)

they talk about payroll control but want to lavish an average manger with a new big contract....

what's average about winning 3 rings as a player 1 as a mgr

and a MOY award

I'm not entirely sure what winning 3 rings as a player has to do with being a good manager. Reggie has about 6, and no one would hire him to be a manager.

And he won the MOTY award, but I am not sure why about that either.

TB won 91 in 2003 and the WS.

They won 83 in 2004.

They won 83 in 2005.

They won 78 in 2006, with a Py W/L of 80-82. On offense, the had Jacobs, Uggla, Hanley, Miggy, and Willingham in their prime, and the rotation included Willis, Johnson, Nolasco, and Sanchez. That was a pretty good team.

Again, I don't think he is a bad manager, but he did not improve FL's record when he got there, and he did not improve NY's record when he got there. They made the playoffs 13 times in 13 seasons when he joined them. They've made it 4 in 6 since.

At any point this year, Girardi still ran six guys out there that make over $15,000,000 per year. And all we heard was whining about injuries. The Red Sox had just as many injuries. Did Girardi have to do without his eighth inning guy, or his closer? The Sox lost both. How about Girardi's ace, did he get injured for most of the season? Buchholz did and he was 9-0 at the time. You can't cry about injuries when you are still, even after the injuries, running six guys out there that make more than $15 million. The Red Sox don't have a player out there making $15 million when they field a full healthy team.

For the latter half of the year, without Jeter and Teixeira, Girardi got to fill out a lineup card with the likes of Wells, Soriano, Granderson, Sabathia, Kuroda, ARod, and Cano. All of those guys make more than the highest paid Red Sox. That list doesn't even include Ichiro or Mariano.

There is no evidence that Girardi is a better than average manager. There is evidence that he is less than average. He's completely missed the playoffs twice. How many years did Torre miss the playoffs?

Why all the love for Girardi? He's been with the NYY for 6 years, and won the AL once, and that was the year the NYY doled out a gazillion for CC, Tex, and Burnett. I think he is okay, but there is nothing in his record that screams out for special recognition. And I think he is at least partially responsible for burning out Hughes and Joba.

What had Farrell done before being Boston manager? at least JG has a title...

(not that Im not totally loving JF as skipper - but sometimes things just fit)

I tend to ignore every manager's first stint. They tend to inherit clubs in bad, bad situations, and even for guys that have managed in the minors, there is a pretty big learning curve.

At any point this year, Girardi still ran six guys out there that make over $15,000,000 per year. And all we heard was whining about injuries. The Red Sox had just as many injuries. Did Girardi have to do without his eighth inning guy, or his closer? The Sox lost both. How about Girardi's ace, did he get injured for most of the season? Buchholz did and he was 9-0 at the time. You can't cry about injuries when you are still, even after the injuries, running six guys out there that make more than $15 million. The Red Sox don't have a player out there making $15 million when they field a full healthy team.

For the latter half of the year, without Jeter and Teixeira, Girardi got to fill out a lineup card with the likes of Wells, Soriano, Granderson, Sabathia, Kuroda, ARod, and Cano. All of those guys make more than the highest paid Red Sox. That list doesn't even include Ichiro or Mariano.

There is no evidence that Girardi is a better than average manager. There is evidence that he is less than average. He's completely missed the playoffs twice. How many years did Torre miss the playoffs?

Let's not equate salary with talent.

Vernon Wells is not a good example of high-priced talent. He does fit half that label.

Alfonso Soriano was actually very good for them, but normally I would say the same thing about him.

A-Rod is certainly well paid, but he is not the same player who got that contract for a vairety of reasons

Sabathia had some sort of injury problem that lingered for a long time, and he was shut down at the end.

And Granderson kept getting hurt and never really got on track.

But really, for a huge chunk of the year, this team was starting Jayson Nix and Eduardo Nunez and Chris Stewart and Lyle Overbay and managing to stay reasonably competitive. Sure the Sox hjad injuries, too, but I am not making a post about the Sox. I was just impressed with how Girardi was able to hold together than ragtag lineup for as long as he did.

He still won't get MOY, which will come down to either Farrell or Francona...

I'm not entirely sure what winning 3 rings as a player has to do with being a good manager

the question was what makes him average

if you don't think the expierences of being a CATCHER on WS winning teams could be helpful

or makes him different ( unaverage )

then we disagree

he did not improve FL's record when he got there,

did they give him MOY

what's avg about that

and he did not improve NY's record when he got there.

kind of a empty almost a shameful comment JB,

unless we go into the roster changes

didn't marlins dump a bunch of payroll once he was hired ?

were they not the youngest and lowest-paid team

how bout the fact he has managed both a small market & a big market team

does that make him average

1-If I were talking about a new hire, say Sandy Alomar, then I would say it is helpful. In referring to whether or not a manager that has been managing for 7 years, I can't see someone say he is average, and another person saying he is above average because he was a catcher 15 years ago. It is really just how he's done over the past 7 years that count. I mean, if Tek became your manager next year, and the NYY won 70 games, would he still be a good manager because he played catch once upon a time?

2-I will grant you that he did win MOTY.

3-FL did dump players, but he still had great talent on his team. You could argue that they were young, but it is Jacobs (.798), Uggla (.818), Hanley (.833), Miggy (.998), Willingham (.852), Dontrelle Willis (3.87), Josh Johnson (3.10), Anibel Sanchez (2.83), and Nolasco (4.82), and Olsen (4.04).

I'm not entirely sure what winning 3 rings as a player has to do with being a good manager

the question was what makes him average

if you don't think the expierences of being a CATCHER on WS winning teams could be helpful

or makes him different ( unaverage )

then we disagree

he did not improve FL's record when he got there,

did they give him MOY

what's avg about that

and he did not improve NY's record when he got there.

kind of a empty almost a shameful comment JB,

unless we go into the roster changes

didn't marlins dump a bunch of payroll once he was hired ?

were they not the youngest and lowest-paid team

how bout the fact he has managed both a small market & a big market team

does that make him average

1-If I were talking about a new hire, say Sandy Alomar, then I would say it is helpful. In referring to whether or not a manager that has been managing for 7 years, I can't see someone say he is average, and another person saying he is above average because he was a catcher 15 years ago. It is really just how he's done over the past 7 years that count. I mean, if Tek became your manager next year, and the NYY won 70 games, would he still be a good manager because he played catch once upon a time?

2-I will grant you that he did win MOTY.

3-FL did dump players, but he still had great talent on his team. You could argue that they were young, but it is Jacobs (.798), Uggla (.818), Hanley (.833), Miggy (.998), Willingham (.852), Dontrelle Willis (3.87), Josh Johnson (3.10), Anibel Sanchez (2.83), and Nolasco (4.82), and Olsen (4.04).

I don't see how you don't win 90 games with that team.

Most of those guys were 22 to 24at the time, and did become better players. His track record there would be why the Cubs would be interested.

Sveum was a stopgap we all knew would be cast aside at some point. And that is why they did not bow to public opinion and hire Ryne Sandberg instead. They ddi not want to hire Sanberg and cast aside a Chicago Icon so hastily. But who cares about Dale Sveum? Throw him away.

I'm not entirely sure what winning 3 rings as a player has to do with being a good manager

the question was what makes him average

if you don't think the expierences of being a CATCHER on WS winning teams could be helpful

or makes him different ( unaverage )

then we disagree

he did not improve FL's record when he got there,

did they give him MOY

what's avg about that

and he did not improve NY's record when he got there.

kind of a empty almost a shameful comment JB,

unless we go into the roster changes

didn't marlins dump a bunch of payroll once he was hired ?

were they not the youngest and lowest-paid team

how bout the fact he has managed both a small market & a big market team

does that make him average

1-If I were talking about a new hire, say Sandy Alomar, then I would say it is helpful. In referring to whether or not a manager that has been managing for 7 years, I can't see someone say he is average, and another person saying he is above average because he was a catcher 15 years ago. It is really just how he's done over the past 7 years that count. I mean, if Tek became your manager next year, and the NYY won 70 games, would he still be a good manager because he played catch once upon a time?

2-I will grant you that he did win MOTY.

3-FL did dump players, but he still had great talent on his team. You could argue that they were young, but it is Jacobs (.798), Uggla (.818), Hanley (.833), Miggy (.998), Willingham (.852), Dontrelle Willis (3.87), Josh Johnson (3.10), Anibel Sanchez (2.83), and Nolasco (4.82), and Olsen (4.04).

I don't see how you don't win 90 games with that team.

Most of those guys were 22 to 24at the time, and did become better players. His track record there would be why the Cubs would be interested.

Sveum was a stopgap we all knew would be cast aside at some point. And that is why they did not bow to public opinion and hire Ryne Sandberg instead. They ddi not want to hire Sanberg and cast aside a Chicago Icon so hastily. But who cares about Dale Sveum? Throw him away.

didnt we? he was our first choice before BV....im still confused as to why this guy was a hot commodity...at least valentine had some success at the mlb coaching level